Dive Brief:
The Campbell’s Company has named Risa Cretella to head its meals and beverage unit, a move that comes as the company continues to focus on growth and innovation in its product portfolio. Cretella’s appointment follows the company’s acquisition of Sovos Brands, which brought Rao’s premium sauce brand under Campbell’s umbrella.
Dive Insight:
The purchase of Sovos gave Campbell’s ownership of Rao’s, the premium sauce brand that has been one of the fastest-growing products in the food space in recent years. As Campbell’s alters its executive ranks, the food maker is promoting Cretella who was instrumental in helping build Rao’s. She will now oversee Campbell’s sprawling meals and beverages unit with $5.3 billion in annual sales.
“Risa is a phenomenal and accomplished leader with a strong record of driving financial and marketplace growth,” Beekhuizen said. “Since joining Campbell’s, she has been instrumental in the successful integration of Sovos Brands, while continuing the momentum of the business. Risa’s proven ability to deliver business results and build high-performance teams makes her the right person to lead our Meals & Beverages division as we continue to transform and grow our categories.”
Cretella has nearly 25 years in the food industry with experience in general management, marketing and sales. Prior to Sovos, she was at Pinnacle Foods in senior marketing roles, which included working with frozen foods like the $1 billion Birds Eye brand. Earlier in her career, Cretella spent more than a decade at J.M. Smucker Company in marketing and sales roles.
Her experience across multiple facets of the food business, and understanding of how to grow and innovate key brands, likely was attractive to Campbell’s. Cretella’s more than two decades in the food space will prove especially valuable as she helps guide Campbell’s meals and beverage business amid changing consumer tastes and a cutback in spending due to inflation.
